The Daemon's Lament
by Takato Metallium
Summary: Sequel to Even Angels Fall. 20 years after certain events caused the destruction of their homeworld, the crew aboard the Blue Typhoon land on a planet called Mobius. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter I

The vast reaches of space drifting out before him, Miles "Tails" Prower yawned as he drank from his morning cup of coffee, entering the cockpit of the Blue Typhoon with a quiet 'swish' sound from the automatic door. The forty-nine year old kitsune rubbed his eyes free of sleep as he stood on the higher deck of the bridge, tired blue eyes looking out the surrounding windows at the pitch-black darkness lit only by stars.

It was hard to believe that twenty years had passed…since that time. So much had changed, not only in himself, but in the others as well.

Amy had been dead for the last ten years, killed by an alien virus from one of the planets they had visited in hopes of a new home, leaving him to continue raising their daughter and twin sons by himself. Xander and Xavier had been born five or six years after the destruction of their home world, and the boys looked like their mother minus the pink fur, and one foxtail for each. Xavier was the mischievous of the two of them, and caused havoc while his brother Xander preferred to follow in their father's footsteps. They would be turning fifteen this year.

Charmy and Cream had decided to – rather than not get married for the second time – just have an open relationship. Waffle now had a younger sister by the name of Vanilla, in honor of Cream's long-dead mother, who was turning fourteen in just a month. The boy himself was an adult of twenty-nine, and had long-since gotten over his crush on Bandit, deciding to mate with Lina, Tails' own daughter, even though she was three years his superior. Although Lina could not bear children, the two were happy enough without one.

Martina and Bandit had become open about their relationship a few days after the ship had left ground. Due to Martina's transformation into a female via his magic, it allowed him to bear his own children. Clare and June were the two girl's names, and they had every bit of spunk their father Bandit had, along with Martina's magical abilities. They would be turning eighteen and nineteen respectively over the next year.

Unfortunately they had lost Bandit and Diamond to the almost the same virus that had killed Amy, when the two had stepped out onto another unknown planet. Rouge, in her own grief, had not gathered the strength to go on without her children and died a few eleven or twelve months later.

Eggman was gone as well, having been well into his sixties when they left ground. As requested, the team had put him in cryostats, with a special formula that had made him younger, around the kid's age. He now went by the name of Julian Kintobor, who had no memories of his past self and if he acted a little like Eggman, it was just coincidence. He had clung to Knuckles as his father figure, and the hardened echidna – having been in mourning since the deaths of his wife and children – took him under his wing. Julian was nineteen going on twenty, and proving to be every bit the genius he was in his past life.

"Father…" Xander was the group's nighttime pilot, having been taught by Tails and Eggman how to fly the spaceship. He turned around in his chair, showing the jumpsuit he wore was a purple colour. "You should be asleep."

"I couldn't, Xander." Tails covered his mouth with a yawn, letting out a sigh afterwards. "I've got this queasy feeling in my stomach…the one that usually says there's going to be trouble…"

_"Now approaching Star three-million-four-hundred-eighty-seven,"_ the computerized voice of the ship broke in, causing both foxes to look at the holo-screen. _"Scanning for life forms…"_

_"Scan complete. Life forms found."_

Tails' coffee mug fell out of his hands, crashing to the floor as his eyes widened and he turned back to the holo-screen. Indeed, there was a blinking light on the screen indicating the planet the Blue Typhoon's mother computer had found. He looked at Xander out the corner of his eyes, tossed his pajama shirt to the floor as he hastily made his way to the pilot seat. "Xander, go wake the others." His son nodded and got out of his seat, making his way out the door. "Sheila, initiate hyper drive sequence and reroute all energy to the main engines. Set course for Star three-million-four-hundred-eighty-seven."

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**The Daemon's Lament  
Chapter I**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ Sequel to _Even Angels Fall_, slash and femme slash. 20 years after certain events caused the destruction of their homeworld, the crew aboard the Blue Typhoon land on a planet called Mobius. Ruled over by an evil tyrant and his lover, they find themselves caught up in a war they might not be able to get out of...  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to Sonikku-tachi, as they belong to SEGA, Sonic TEAM, Yuji Naka, Archie Comic Publications Inc. and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea and not much else aside from a Shadow plushie and a few DVDs of _Sonic Underground_ and _Sonic X_.  
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Princess Sally Acorn, leader in all but name of Knothole City's Freedom Fighters, was caught between a rock and a decidedly hard place. Or rather, about twenty new-line model Shadowbots and a building. She crouched lowly to the ground, her analytical mind at work as she examined each and every one of her enemies, figuring out the best course of action. Her leather jumpsuit was torn at the knees where she had fallen earlier during her mission.

About two or three meters away from her, somewhere in the forest of mechanical legs, lay the crumpled form of one of her mission companions – a synthetic android by the name of Nicole Morgan. Her other partner, a young fourteen-year-old hedgehog known to his friends as Silver, had left her here on her own orders, having been ordered to go back to home base no matter what happened.

"Well, well, well," drawled a bored-sounding voice that made the princess tense, drawing a snarl from her lips as the sound of footsteps sounded in the alleyway. The Shadowbots parted and she heard Nicole whimper as she was roughly kicked in the side. Although Sally was glad her partner was still breathing, she raised her head to look her enemy in the eyes, one of them emerald green, the other a cybernetic implant.

"Sonic," she spat out hatefully, rising shakily to sit on her hindquarters as she looked for a weapon. Damn…her gun was at the other end of the alleyway.

"Princess, what a pleasant surprise," he purred, a dark smile gracing his lips as he regarded her with cool eyes. Brown bangs reminiscent to that of his late father dipped down to his chin over his implant, black leather trenchcoat waving around in the cold autumn wind. "If I were aware that you were coming, I would have rolled out the red carpet."

"Hilarious," Sally muttered dryly, looking away and over to her partner. Nicole managed a weak smile as though to reassure her.

"Nonetheless, His Lordship will be pleased to see you brought before him," Sonic continued on, ignoring her comment. He snapped his fingers, his dark smile becoming feral as the Shadowbots moved to obey him. "Lord Elias has been disappointed that his own dear twin sister never decides to stop by…"

"That…that _thing_ you call your master is **not** my brother!" Sally hissed, her ears laying flat against her head as the Shadowbots began to surround her. She backed away slowly, pressing against the wall. There was no way it could end like this, damn it…

That was when it appeared overhead in a green flash of light – a giant ship with a coating of blue, gold and silver, a mysterious symbol of twin fox tails etched in its hull. The words '_Blue Typhoon_' could be made out on the starboard side, the name of the enormous machine. Just the mere sight of the ship was enough to send the populace of Mobotropolis into a screaming panic.

Sally, seeing her chance to escape, darted out of the forest of Shadowbots by gripping one of their shoulders and flipping over its head before she snatched Nicole up from where the android lay and into her arms, bridal style. Turning around swiftly, giving them no time to react, she pulled a flashbomb out of the pocket of her blue trenchcoat.

Sonic growled lowly in annoyance as the ground squirrel escaped, shielding his eyes from the bright flash until it died down. His cybernetic eye told him there was more excitement to pursue inside the spacecraft, for it held twenty-odd organic lifeforms. Another snap of his fingers and his Shadowbots were surrounding the ship, their gun-arms raised and pointed at the hull while he turned on the communicator attached to his ear, pressing a few buttons on the small round keyboard underneath the earpiece. Holding out his right arm, he pressed a single button on the belt keeping his leather strap in place, a hologram screen appearing above his wrist a moment later before it connected with the system inside the spaceship. He disguised his surprise at the Mobian-like lifeforms inside, reminding himself that it could very well be a trap.

"This is Sonic Ryder of the Royal Guard of Mobotropolis, Kingdom of Acorn. You are surrounded in case your intentions are hostile. State your name and your purpose."

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Silver had never been one for following orders.

The white-furred hedgehog watched with narrowed eyes as Sally escaped with Nicole over the rooftops of Mobotropolis. He knew he should have gone after her, but he didn't. He was sick of being last, sick of being treated like a kid. He had his own power _and_ he knew how to use it.

He closed his golden eyes and concentrated, a whitish-blue light surrounding something that had broken off from the building he was standing on. It lifted up off the ground, hovering next to him.

Now he just had to wait for the right moment…

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Tails couldn't believe his eyes. Staring coldly at them on the Blue Typhoon's holo-screen…no. It couldn't be. And yet the name was the same, the eyes were the same, almost every feature was the same except for the brown locks falling over one eye and the ruby crescent-moon marking on the upper right side of his face. There was no way he could forget that face…never in a million years…

A look to his side told him that the 'old crowd' had not forgotten either. He shook his head and went back to matters at hand, clearing his throat and staring back at the obviously younger being evenly.

"My name is Miles Prower, unofficial leader and captain of the crew aboard the Blue Typhoon." Tails wet his lips before continuing, meeting cold green eyes with a shuddering breath. "Twenty years ago, our home world – due to unforeseen circumstances – was sacrificed to an ancient alien ritual. We are the only survivors. Since then, we have been drifting through space, looking for a planet that can sustain life enough for us to call a home. Yours is the first we've found over that period of time. Our intentions are not hostile; we merely wish to settle down and give our children the future they deserve."

The hedgehog on the holo-screen seemed to consider his words, lips pressed together thinly on a grim face. "_You picked the wrong time to come to Mobius, space travelers, for we are currently engaged in civil war. However, if what you say is what you, indeed, wish, then I cannot deny you be allowed to see my Lord_." He seemed to make a motion off screen before turning back to it, his eyes narrowing a little. "_Bring one, and only one other with you, Captain Prower. The rest are to stay on board and will be monitored by my Shadowbots until your return. I will give you five minutes to discuss amongst yourselves. Sonic Ryder out_."

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A few bystanders had gathered by the time the hatchway to the ship opened, Sonic noted as he leant back a little on the heels of his feet, arms crossed over his chest as his eyes narrowed. The citizens seemed to move back in fear, audible gasps murmured as two creatures emerged from the ship.

The hedgehog raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of an almost standard Mobian fox who, despite his two tails swirling behind his legs, appeared to be normal, dressed in what appeared to be a brown jumpsuit. Coming after him was a second living organism, this one quite unlike anything he had ever seen, red in fur colour and dressed in a white jumpsuit similar to the kitsune's own. He guessed them to be the spacesuits they wore.

Still, he smiled charmingly, stepping forward and holding out his hand in greeting like he'd always been taught to, his face wavering slightly at the thought of his mother before maintaining perfection. "Sonic Ryder, head of Mobotropolis' Royal Guard and personal bodyguard of his Lordship, King Elias, at your service."

The fox took his hand to shake firmly after a little hesitance, a small sign of slight distrust in his brilliant blue eyes. "Miles Prower – Tails to my friends and comrades aboard the Blue Typhoon. My companion is Knuckles Echidna, our resident archaeological expert and guardian of the Master Emerald."

"Echidna, you say?" Sonic murmured under his breath, studying the older male who stared down at him with cool amethyst eyes. '_How can this be? The Echidnas were all wiped out when Lord Elias took control of their land_…' He cleared his throat, regarding both of them. "If you would follow me. Lord Elias has been informed of your arrival…"

One of the Shadowbots near them suddenly exploded, sending the gathered into a panicking frenzy. Knuckles shielded Tails and crouched low, hearing shouts of 'rebels' from the retreating crowd and looked up, his eyes showing surprise as he caught sight of a white-furred hedgehog floating down with a light blue hue surrounding him, landing on the Blue Typhoon.

"Iblis Trigger!" he shouted, pointing down towards Ryder, who was snarling and bristling visibly. "Prepare to defend yourself! The Kingdom of Acorn will obey your master no more!"

"Iblis?" Knuckles muttered under his breath, thinking back to his university classes. Reacting quickly, the echidna disappeared despite Tails' shouts for him not to and reappeared behind the boy, catching him by pulling his arms back.

Silver was shocked that something he'd never seen before could move so fast. He struggled, trying to levitate so he could throw the other off of him, but something was stopping his powers. He growled under his breath. "Why do you help them?! You off-worlders have no idea what…!" The hedgehog was silenced by a hard whack to the back of his head, sending him off to unconsciousness.

Knuckles picked the kid up by the back of his shirt after he knocked him out, jumping off and landing on his feet. Tails was frowning at him, disliking the fact that he had acted without listening. He dumped the kid at Ryder's feet, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Take us to this so-called 'Lord' of yours. Now."

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Thousands of light years away, eight gemstones floated through space and time. The Chaos and power sealed within them made them shatterproof, even at the brink of a planet's destruction. All of a sudden, they disappeared in individual flashes of light, each one as colourful as the last.

End of chapter one, tbc….

_Notes:_ Revamped and rewritten slightly. I bring you to _The Daemon's Lament_ version 2. I recently acquired an Xbox 360 for myself and brought the Sonic 2006 game while I was at it. It inspired me to write again, and I prefer this version better than the last. Anyway, literate and encouraging reviews are accepted, so please leave a message after the beep.

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BEEEEEP.


	2. Chapter II

"I need backup," Sally stated to the large male walrus on the screen of her holo-watch. Next to her feet laid Nicole, breathing heavily hitched gasps. "Morgan was injured and Mephiles has been taken prisoner. I'll never be able to carry on the mission, let alone make it back to the village as we are…"

"_Got it, princess_." The walrus pushed square glasses up his muzzle before returning his attention to her. "_I'll send Antoine and Bunnie in, shall I_?"

She smiled in relief and nodded at her long-time friend. "Thanks, Rotor. Make sure they're equipped for battle and bring medical supplies. I'm not sure how much longer…" She didn't want to say the rest in case it came true, looking at the android who smiled weakly back in reassurance.

Rotor actually laughed a little. "_Don't be worried about Nicole, Sally. Just make sure that the two of you don't get caught. Antoine and Bunnie should be there within the hour. Over and out_."

"He's right, princess." The voice made her look back down again after lowering her arm to see Nicole struggling to sit up on weak hands. "You shouldn't worry about me."

Sally squatted down next to her companion and gently forced her to lay back where she had been, blue eyes full of concern. "Nicole, you shouldn't move too much. Try and be still until Antoine and Bunnie arrive, okay?" She placed a small kiss on her cheek. "Please, love? For me?"

It might have seemed like a strange relationship to some – what, with her being an organic and Nicole an android – but not all relationships had to depend on being able to breed. That was what her…brother…was for anyway. After all, Sally loved Nicole with all her heart ever since her scientific genius of a friend had created her prototype body, and the feeling was returned greatly. Relationships were about love and being with and there for the person you loved. Gender and mating ability didn't matter. At least not to her.

"I'll try," was Nicole's weak reply. The princess squatted down next to her, pulling her other's head onto her lap and beginning to run her fingers through soft purple hair as Nicole closed her eyes and tilted her head back with a sigh.

All Sally could do was pray they would not be caught or ambushed, and hope that Silver was alright…

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**The Daemon's Lament  
Chapter II**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to Sonikku-tachi, as they belong to SEGA, Sonic TEAM, Yuji Naka, Archie Comic Publications Inc. and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea and not much else aside from a Shadow plushie and a few DVDs of _Sonic Underground_ and _Sonic X_.  
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"My Lord." Ryder knelt before a throne down on one knee, head bowed and an arm crossed over his chest. "These are the off-worlders I spoke of earlier this hour. I have brought them back to you as you requested."

Knuckles and Tails cast a glance towards each other as the squirrel sitting on the stone dais gave them a cool, one-over look. Blue eyes narrowed and turned back to the hedgehog. "And yet you can never seem to capture my dear sister," the king purred darkly, standing from his seat. "Now really, Commander, surely you can do better than this. I believe we have the red-furred…echidna?…to thank for the capture of Silver Mephiles, yes?" Knuckles gave a curt nod of confirmation and he returned his attention back to the Sonic look-alike. "Look at me when you answer, and think your words over carefully."

He hesitantly did as told, meeting the other man's gaze. "My…Lord Elias, her highness is a crafty one. I had the guards stationed around the southern and eastern sectors of Mobotropolis be on high alert…"

A resounding slap echoed around the throne room and the two space travelers stared in shock. The Commander didn't bother to raise a hand to his cheek, nor did he bother to look the other in the eye anymore. Instead, he just stood and bowed his head, face throbbing in pain.

"It's not good enough, Commander Ryder," Elias purred huskily, his blue eyes narrowing considerably. "How can you expect us to win this war unless that infernal resistance is stomped out permanently?"

Sonic didn't raise his head as he spoke, finally raising a hand to touch the forming red bruise. "Of course I don't, my Lord. Next time will be different, I promise you."

Elias shook his head, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth like a scolding parent. "There won't be a next time for you, Commander. Go and check on the prisoner. See if you can get any information from him. You are excused." Ryder nodded and stood, keeping his head bowed as he walked out of the room without so much as a nod or wave goodbye to Tails and Knuckles. Elias smiled again and turned towards the kitsune and echidna, ignoring the shocked looks he was receiving from them. "Tell me, you two…how good are you at hunting?"

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Not for the first time, Silver cursed his rotten luck and rash thinking. The cuffs and bars were made from a special mineral that blocked his telekinesis powers, so he wouldn't be escaping anytime soon. The fourteen-year-old hung his head, berating himself in his head in a voice that sounded much like that of his best friend Blaze.

"Leave us." His golden eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice, a dark snarl curling on his lips as he recognized the form of Commander Ryder entering his cell.

"You…!" he hissed, hackles raising like an angry wolf. His fists clenched in their cuffs, his anger rising.

"And here I thought I'd never see you in these dungeons again, Silver," Sonic said almost sadly, leaning against the wall with one arm. "Not after I risked my life and position to free you the last time. You can expect me not to repeat the favor."

Silver turned his head away, unable to meet his eyes. "You're no brother of mine! What Ryder would force himself to be subjected to that…that _monster_?! Mother and father died for us so we could live and survive! They'd be ashamed of you…"

"I am surviving." His face softened a little and he placed his hand on Silver's cheek, brushing his fingers softly over it. "This is the way I survive. Elias isn't so bad, and you know why I can never leave…because I love him."

The white-furred hedgehog heaved a shuddering sigh, a few tears slipping down his cheeks as he met Sonic's eyes. "What he's done to you…he caused you to loose that eye, he killed our parents and our brother Manic when he took control of Mobotropolis! How can you still love him after everything he's done?"

"You'll understand when you're older and fall in love…that there are some things in this world that cannot be denied…" The commander smiled softly and leant forward, kissing Silver's cheek, calling more tears to fall down the younger hedgehog's face.

"I miss you," he whispered, wanting nothing more than to be woken up by his mother and told this was a bad nightmare. "I really do…terribly. I hate having to fight you."

"We do what we have to in order to survive." Sonic pulled away and stepped back a little, then gave his brother a punch across the face. When Silver tasted blood on his lip and the shocked feeling wore off, he looked at him in questioning. "In case anyone asks why you're not roughed up." He smiled sadly and licked the blood from his knuckles. "I do have a reputation to protect, you know…"

And he left, leaving Silver a quivering, shaking mess in his cell as he broke down and cried, long and hard, until he fell asleep in his shackles.

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Three figures slipped through Mobotropolis' darker alleyways, keeping out of sight of humans and robot guards alike; one a coyote carrying a sword, a rabbit with cybernetic arm and legs, and the other another white-furred hedgehog with black bangs and crimson eyes.

"This is where I take my leave," the white-furred hedgehog said as they landed on top of a building several meters away from the royal palace.

"Be careful, sugah," the rabbit said in a strong southern accent. "No doubt Elias has boosted security after what happened with Sal, Nicole and Silver."

He grinned wildly at them. "Careful is my middle name."

"I vought your name vas…" the coyote began in a French accent but the rabbit elbowed him with her non-robotic arm.

"He's being sarcastic, Sugah-'Twan."

Antoine D'Collette had the decency to blush slightly. "Oui. I am knowing this."

Bunnie Rabbot sighed and turned her attention to the hedgehog. "We'll meet at the rendezvous point, sugah. Don't be late."

Dasuku Hedgehog gave a grim smile. "I'll be there. Just make sure you get the princess and Morgan out safely. I'll take care of my own charge." With that, he disappeared in a flash of black light.

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"What do you think?" Tails asked when they were standing alone in a room they had been escorted to, discussing the proposition Elias had made for their stay on Mobius.

"I don't like it," Knuckles said in a gruff voice, leaning against one chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm a treasure hunter. I don't hunt down people."

The fox sighed and slouched against the wall opposite him, placing his hands on his hips. "I know what you mean, but we have the children to think about. They were all born in space. They don't know what it's like on a planet. I want to give my boys a good future – don't you want the same for Julian and your granddaughters?"

"At the cost of another's freedom?" Knuckles shook his head. "I don't do that. I get the feeling Elias wasn't telling us the whole story. There's got to be more to it than a misunderstood conversation. Let's just get off this planet and find another one. We can do better than this."

Tails looked up, cowlick hanging over his eyes. "Knuckles, there are thousands of other stars out there – millions even. It could be years before we find another inhabitable planet, maybe even till our fourth-generation descendants. We have to take this risk."

The echidna let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes and tilting his head to his chest before looking back up. "You're the boss, I suppose. How would we track the lady anyhow? It's not like you can whip up a scanner within a certified time limit and voila."

Tails smiled and leant off his post, starting to head towards the door at the other end of the room. "If I can get some form of a DNA sample, I can reroute the Blue Typhoon's star scanners and redirect the systems to scan for certain body heat. It's simple."

The former Guardian chuckled lightly, shaking his head as he began to follow. "You never cease to amaze me even after all these years, kiddo."

When the duo stepped out of the war room, they were stunned to see soldiers running every which way as chaos had seemed to ensue while they were talking. After getting a slightly calmer one to point the direction back to the throne room and getting there, Tails asked what was going on.

Commander Ryder simply looked at him with cold eyes and an unwavering expression on his face. "The prisoner has broken out with help from the outside. Well? This is your chance to prove yourselves, hunters."

End of chapter two


	3. Chapter III

Dasuku slipped down the corridors of the royal palace, his crimson eyes shifting about before he ran down the stairs to the dungeons, his heavy boots pounding on the sandstone steps. His eyes were narrowed, his mind thinking over the many things he was going to say when he reprimanded Silver later for taking off on his own.

He didn't want to run into Ryder in a place like this, nor did he want to bump into Elias either. He wasn't sure of his actions were he to encounter either one, and he knew that the results wouldn't have been pretty. Of course, he was amazed by the fact that he hadn't been caught yet – after all, how many albino hedgehogs were there, really? And with the price His Majesty had placed on his head for his capture, there would be a lot of foolish Mobians eager to capture him.

Dasuku Hedgehog, however, wasn't one someone should underestimate.

He pulled his pocket watch out from its hiding place on his belt, reading the current time as half an hour before he was supposed to meet Bunnie and Antoine back at the rendezvous point with Silver. Flicking the lid closed and placing it back in its hiding spot, he finally reached the bottom of the stairs, looking around the cells. It had been a long time since he'd last been here – the place where he'd received the scar over his left eye – and he didn't want to linger any more than was necessary.

"Silver!" He found the cell his charge was in quickly and easily, watching the other white-furred hedgehog lift his head and smiled when he saw the look of relief on Silver's face. Maybe he'd reprimand him only a little…

Dasuku reached into the pouch attached to his hip and pulled out a device Rotor had invented, hooking it up to the coded lock and letting it work its magic. He looked up, noticing the look on Silver's face and sighed, smiling a little at him.

"I'm sorry…" Oh no…there was that tone in his voice…the tone that told him Silver was about ready to burst into tears. He turned away from looking at his charge, noticing that the device had cracked three of the seven codes. "…I'm sorry I ran off on my own…but I…"

"Don't talk." He looked up again and smiled, meeting Silver's emerald eyes. "Don't worry about it. Just wait until we get home, okay?" There was a beep and he turned his attention back to the device, grinning like a maniac. "Remind me to tell Rotor that he's a bloody fucking genius, ne?"

Silver smiled as he watched his mentor pocket the device again and open the door, using a loose brick to keep it open as he walked into the cell. The shackles were rusted enough for Dasuku to snap easily, catching the other white-furred hedgehog as he fell from the height, still a little woozy from the shackles zapping his psychokinetic abilities.

"C'mon. Everyone's waiting for us."

The younger hedgehog couldn't help but smile.

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**The Daemon's Lament  
****Chapter III  
**Written by Takato Metallium  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to Sonikku-tachi, as they belong to SEGA, Sonic TEAM, Yuji Naka, Archie Comic Publications Inc. and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea, some OCs and not much else aside from a Shadow plushie and a few DVDs of _Sonic Underground_ and _Sonic X_.  
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Knuckles and Tails raced down the corridors of the palace in the direction Commander Ryder had set them in, being told to look for two white-furred hedgehogs. The archaeologist had a bigger stride than his captain, and so lead the way with a determined look on his face. Tails had to admire his companion – once Knuckles set his mind to something, he let nothing stand in his way.

"The dungeons should be up ahead, Knuckles!" the two-tailed kitsune called out from behind him, and the echidna nodded, noticing the stairwell going downward and the two figures emerging from it, one supporting the other.

The hedgehog with the black bangs looked up and snarled upon seeing the two approaching them. "Move aside!"

Tails was at a loss of what to do. If they captured these two, then their families and everyone aboard the Blue Typhoon would be granted residency in this city. He watched Knuckles crack his fingers, noticing Black Bangs' eyes widen before he spoke with slight disbelief. "No fucking way… Elias wiped out the echidna kingdom when he began his reign…"

Knuckles stared at the younger male in slight surprise, then narrowed his eyes. "He did what?"

"Jeez, where have you been?" The hedgehog sighed and shifted the other one's form in his grasp, ignoring the sirens sounding around them. "Back about ten something years ago, His Royal Fucking Majesty wiped out the entire echidna race because he thought they'd impose a threat to his reign…"

"Dasuku…" There was a tug and he looked down to the younger hedgehog in his grasp. "These guys are offworlders…"

"Tails…" The kitsune looked to his long-time friend, suddenly fearing his reaction to this new news they were being told. "…I can't work with a guy who commits mass genocide and expects to get away with it. I hope you understand."

He smiled and nodded, noticing the confused looks on the other two's faces as the younger hedgehog straightened himself, able to walk now. "You two," he said, addressing them. "We were given the option of capturing you and being granted a place for our families to stay after a decade of searching through space for a home…would we be wrong in assuming that your people can give us a better offer?"

Dasuku blinked with a pause, then grinned even as Silver looked doubtful. "Where are your families?"

"Most likely still aboard the Blue Typhoon, being guarded by those robots to make sure that we don't mess up," Knuckles growled, hooking a thumb in the belt around his pants.

"I'm sure they'll meet up with us sooner or later." Tails smiled. "We have a strategy for a situation like this."

"Well…" Dasuku tapped his foot, then shrugged. "I'll contact the princess later. Right now, we need to get out of here before we have soldiers and Shadowbots swarming us. Follow me."

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"Nothing here," Scourge Hedgehog called out to his partner as he stepped out of the doorway he'd just kicked down. The green-furred hedgehog sighed and ran a hand through his quills, yawning a little. "Damn that tramp can run…"

"Lord Elias would not like to hear you speaking of his sister like that, I am sure," Fiona Fox said as she approached her squad leader, clad in a black leather jumpsuit with her brown hair falling into her eyes.

"Yeah, well, he ain't here to hear me talk, is he?" Scourge eyed the woman, crossing his arms over his chest and feeling his leather jacket brush his chest fur. "Morgan could have put up a hologram…Fiona?"

"Already scanned. My sensors aren't indicating any in the near vicinity." Fiona's eyes went back to normal after she said this, from golden to dark hazel. The AI turned to look at her partner. "However, the report said tha Morgan was injured during the initial encounter. Carrying all that dead weight, her majesty couldn't have gotten far…"

Scourge hummed in thought for a minute. "Let's head back to that weird spaceship thingy and look around for clues…" Hearing a beeping sound, he brought his wrist up and pressed a button on his holowatch, blanching a little as he saw who was calling. "Yo, Commander, what's up?"

"_The prisoner known as Silver Mephiles has escaped_," replied the blue hedgehog, and Scourge realized he was on an open channel. "_All units be on the lookout for these two fugitives_." An image popped up, showing the 'Wanted' posters for Dasuku and Silver before switching to those of Nicole and Sally. "_Also a reminded to be on the watch for these two as well. Commander Sonic Ryder of the Royal Guard out_."

"Looks like we have our hands full," Scourge said as the transmission ended, lowering his wrist and looking at Fiona. "How many times has that Silver kid been captured now?"

"Approximately…"

"Yeah, yeah. I was being sarcastic, Fio." He shook his head, placing his hands in his pockets as he began walking away from the slums of New Mobotropolis. "The Commander needs to be a little tougher on his bro. In any case, now what do we do?"

The robotic fox looked at her partner as she caught up with him, keeping in stride. "I suggest going after Dasuku Hedgehog and Silver Mephiles. Her majesty could have used the report as a distraction to get away."

"Nice suggestion, babe." Scourge pulled his sunglasses down from his forehead, covering his crimson eyes as they approached his hover bike. "Let's go then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you for hiding us." Sally looked around herself at the strange group, holding Nicole upright. She reminded herself that although these people looked like Mobians, they were offworlders. "My comrades should be coming for us soon, so we shan't bother you long."

"If I may…" Julian stepped forward from the group, gesturing with his hands. "Myself and Xander are technological experts…we might be able to repair your companion's fractured limb…with her permission of course." He looked to Nicole.

Sally turned her head towards her partner, who shook her own as a 'no'. "No offense, but your red friend has helped Commander Ryder capture one of our comrades. I would rather be repaired by someone I know I can trust."

"Ah, no offense taken."

"So who are you guys?" the ground squirrel asked, placing a hand on Nicole's shoulders. "Spaceships don't always land here, you know."

"Oh yes, of course." Espio cleared his throat, smiling a little. "Around twenty years past, our homeworld was subjected to an ancient alien ritual and only we handful survived. We have lost many loved ones in the process of finding a planet to call home."

"Hmm…no doubt my brother has struck up some kind of deal with your captain and vice-captain." Sally's gaze hardened, looking away from the group.

"Who is your brother?" Cream asked, tilting her head. "You seem to be…estranged with this man."

"My brother is evil," Sally growled, letting go of Nicole's shoulder and leaning against the wall. "Ten years ago, he banished our father into the Zone of Silence on the eve of his coronation as the next king, and tried to do away with me as well. This city may look peaceful, but that's only because the townsfolk are afraid of my brother and obey his rule under fear of being persecuted. I and a handful of my friends have been fighting to take the kingdom back all this time."

"You landed on our planet in the middle of a war," Nicole continued, placing an arm around Sally's shoulders. "You may be asked to choose sides. My suggestion is that you pack up and leave while you can."

"That may be all well and good," Martina began, brushing some hair out of his eyes. "But as my mother said, we lost many in our journey here. I myself lost my mate to an alien plague." The others looked at him in surprise – Martina barely mentioned Bandit these days. "I'm sure he and the others we have lost would want us to settle here, war or none."

Sally smiled at the chameleon in understanding before looking them over. "You all do know that, should you choose to return to Knothole City with me, my brother will put bounties on your heads and warrant you traitors to the crown, even though this is not your home planet?"

The large group looked at each other before Clare spoke up. "We should wait for Uncle Tails and Grandfather to return before we make any decision."

"Understandable." Sally inclined her head before she heard her holowatch go off. She lifted her wrist and pressed the button, seeing the distraught face of a long-eared rabbit.

"_Sal-gal, where're ya_?" came the familiar Southern accent. "_Sugah 'Twan and I are lookin' all ovah for y'all_."

"My apologies, Bunnie. Meet me at the rendezvous point as planned." Sally frowned a little. "Did Dasuku manage to retrieve Silver?"

"_On 'is way with two more from that thea spaceship in tow_."

Blue eyes glanced up at the offworlders around her, a little surprised when she saw their smiles. "That's Tails an' Knuckles for ya," Vector spoke up, grinning wildly. "An' there ya have our answer."

"_What's the haps, Sal_?" Bunnie's holographic expression was anxious, blinking at her princess as Xander and Julian took the ship controls, beginning to take off.

"We'll meet you at the rendezvous point, Bunnie. Sally out."

End of chapter three


	4. Chapter IV

"Well?" Elias tapped his fingers impatiently on the throne as Ryder knelt before him, motioning for the hedgehog to raise his head. "Did you manage to find them or not?"

"Nay, my Lord." Sonic didn't dare look in the squirrel's eyes, for fear of a disapproving look on his lover's face. "And the offworlders have chosen to side with the princess' Freedom Fighters instead of our cause. Reports are coming in that the spacecraft took off ten minutes ago from Central Square."

"I'm not happy with your performance lately, Commander Ryder." Elias stood from the throne and walked down the steps, standing so he was a foot in front of the hedgehog. He reached down, running his fingers through Sonic's brown bangs and lifting his head up by them, earning him a wince. "Not happy at all. Tell me…how do you plan on making up for this?"

"I am…unsure, my Lord." He winced, trying not to grunt in pain as he looked at his king with both his organic and robotic eyes. "And I know you will not give me forgiveness so easily."

"Indeed. I won't." The king relaxed his grip and let Sonic fall to the floor of the throne room, causing the hedgehog to drop to his knees again. Elias hummed in thought, crossing his arms and tapping his chin. "Perhaps revisiting your lessons might work…"

Sonic's eyes flew wide open and he looked up at his lover in shock and horror. "No! No, my Lord! Anything but those lessons…!"

The squirrel's grin was feral, his sapphire blue eyes having a dangerous gleam to them. "You dare disobey me, Commander…?"

"N…" Ryder sighed and his head dropped again, closing his eyes as he shivered at the memories. "No, my Lord."

"Good. Report to the bedchamber at 1700 hours. You're dismissed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
**The Daemon's Lament  
****Chapter IV  
**Written by Takato Metallium  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to Sonikku-tachi, as they belong to SEGA, Sonic TEAM, Yuji Naka, Archie Comic Publications Inc. and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea, some OCs and not much else aside from a Shadow plushie and a few DVDs of _Sonic Underground_ and _Sonic X_.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Knothole City was hard to find unless you knew how to. It was surrounded by thick old growth forest, originally used as a refugee camp during the Great War. After Elias became king ten years ago, it was rebuilt as a city hideaway for those who opposed his rule. This collective group became known as the Freedom Fighters, lead by her royal highness Princess Sally Acorn, they fight to take the kingdom back from her brother, King Elias.

The citizens of Knothole City were staring up in awe as the blue spaceship touched ground in the clearing, causing a great big gust of wind to blow around it. The hatch opened, and a majority of them were surprised when their princess stepped out, holding Nicole upright with help from Bunnie as Antoine followed them.

"Where's Dasuku and Silver?" an armadillo asked.

"I got a call from Dasuku as we were making our way here, Mighty," Sally replied. "They're going to make their way back here in their own time, as all attention was focused on them after the report was made."

"And what's the deal with this?" Might gestured at the spaceship, and Sally smiled.

"These are our new allies," the princess said, stepping aside as Espio was the first to exit the spaceship with his family in tow, earning a few gasps from the crowd. "Their homeworld was destroyed twenty-something years ago, and my brother tried to recruit them, but they have graciously decided to band with us instead."

"I see." Mighty raised an eyebrow, then blinked as he remembered something. "Geoffrey St. John called while you were away on your mission. His infiltration into Elias' southern kingdom was a success. He's to meet up with Rob and the Mercian Freedom Fighters at 0800 hours tomorrow morning."

"Good. Give me the full report later," Sally replied as she and Bunnie handed Nicole over to a pair of mechanics with a stretcher. "In the meantime, I'll leave you in charge of helping these people find a spare group of huts." She turned and bowed, smiling apologetically as the space-born children looked around in wonder. "Do forgive me, but I must go with Nicole. Mighty here will show you around Knothole City and help you settle down. I will speak with your captain and vice-captain as soon as they arrive."

Espio blanched a little at the name, but smiled nonetheless. "There is nothing to forgive, your highness. Please oversee your mate's recovery with our well wishes." The ground squirrel nodded and left them with the armadillo, Bunnie and Antoine having already gone.

Mighty sighed and turned to the large group. "Welcome to Knothole City, and to Mobius I suppose."

"Thank you." Xander bowed in return, turning attention to him as the crowd began to disperse.

"Formalities out of the way," the armadillo continued, waving a hand. "Would you like a tour of Knothole before I take you to your new homes?"

They all looked at each other before Charmy spoke up. "A tour would be good, I suppose."

"Follow me then." Might began moving off and, after closing the Blue Typhoon's hatch, they followed. "Knothole was founded during the Great War thirty years ago and used as a refugee camp for the loved ones of soldiers in the royal army and those unable to fight." He cleared his throat and continued. "When her highness' brother King Elias took control of the throne, many who opposed his rule fled to here and it began to flourish in the city it is today. The city itself is powered by one of eight powerful meteors that crashed into the earth fifteen years ago. Elias has the other seven."

The adults looked at each other with worry written on their faces. "These meteors…" Vector began, causing Might to turn to look at him. "They wouldn't happen to be in the shape of gemstones, would they?"

"How do you know?" Mighty frowned deeply. "That is classified information."

"Mighty, those gemstones come from our planet," Espio said gently, trying not to cause alarm. "They're called Chaos Emeralds and are extremely powerful. Although last I knew there were seven, not eight…"

"The blast that the ritual caused must have shot them here," Julian continued, arms crossed in thought. "The Master Emerald might be able to confirm this by the way it reacts to them…if only Knuckles was here right now…"

"So how do I know you're not treasure hunters who have come to steal our power source?" the armadillo growled, now on the defensive. "That you have not pulled the wool over her highness' eyes…it was bad enough that the Babylon Rogues tried to trick us several months ago…"

"We have photographic proof back on the Typhoon," Martina replied. "If you do not believe us, our captain also recorded our planet's last hour and the way the Emeralds were used in the ritual."

Mighty bit his lower lip, chewing it in thought. "I'll speak with her highness about this matter. In the meantime, I will find you temporary accommodation."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I never thought I'd be glad to see sewers again," Tails said as the quartet navigated their way through New Mobotropolis' underground waterways via Dasuku's holographic map. The forty-nine year old fox grinned as he looked at Knuckles, mud and sewer water on his fur where the spacesuit obstructed its path. "I should have listened to Eggman about knowing how to navigate underground."

"Who is this Eggman?" Dasuku looked back over his shoulder from where he was leading the way, a curious look on his face. "You've mentioned him a couple of times before. Is he a crewmate of yours?"

"Sort of. It's complicated," the echidna replied gruffly, playing with the gemstone around his neck. He could feel it growing warm through his jumpsuit, which meant there were other emeralds nearby. "We'll tell you another time."

Silver hung at the back of his group, his head bowed slightly as he walked along behind them with his hands in the pockets of his pants. He still felt guilty for having to make Dasuku come and rescue him again, and he wouldn't look up when the other white hedgehog turned to speak with him.

"What's wrong, Knuckles?" Tails looked at his companion with a concerned face. "You only play with the Master Emerald like that when something's bothering you."

"I'm still pissed about that Elias guy," he replied, dropping his hand and raising them to cross behind his head, staring up at the roof above their heads. "And the Master Emerald's reacting to something like it used to react to the Chaos Emeralds ages ago. I'd know that burn anywhere."

Dasuku paused and turned, stopping the congregation. "When you say Chaos Emeralds…are you referring to the Ark of the Cosmos?"

"Dasuku!"

"It's just a question," the hedgehog said, raising his hand in defense at Silver's echoing shout before looking back to the two offworlders again. "About fifteen years ago, a meteor shower happened and eight of the meteors struck the earth. They were revealed to be gemstones with strange powers. We lost many trying to get them back from Elias, and in the end we had to settle for the black and red one that powers our city."

"Black and red?" Knuckles shook his head. "I guarded the Emeralds for a couple of decades before they went back to their rightful owner. There wasn't any black and red ones and there was only seven."

"Black and red…" Tails frowned, then looked to his companion. "Come to think of it, we didn't see Shadow during those final hours."

"You're not seriously suggesting Sonic or Black Doom turned him into a Chaos Emerald, are you Tails? If you are, you've lost your marbles." Knuckles shrugged. "It could just be one that was floating around in space."

Silver's eyes shot up, staring at them in disbelief as Dasuku shared the same look. "You knew Sonic Ryder beforehand?"

"The one you know is different from the one we knew." Tails sighed, rubbing his temples. "They look uncannily alike and share the same name, but our Sonic didn't have brown bangs or a robotic implant. In all honesty, he was our planet's hero." The two-tailed kitsune sighed again. "Those were the days…"

"Then what happened to him?" Dasuku asked, just as curious as his charge. "He's not on board with you?"

"To make a long story short, it turned out that Sonic was created by pure Chaos by a character called Black Doom," Knuckles continued, running his fingers through his dreadlocks. "He was the one who destroyed our planet through Sonic."

The mood between the four turned sour, Tails looking down at the sewer water brushing over his boots while Knuckles looked away from him. "Shadow was his mate, another creation of Black Doom's with the help of a scientist fifty years before our time. Shadow was immortal, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was somehow turned into a Chaos Emerald to keep from interfering," Tails added on softly, shaking his head.

Dasuku and Silver both blinked in unison at the new information. "That's some fucked up shit right there," the older hedgehog said, scratching the small goatee that rested on his chin before shaking his head. "But if what you're saying is true, then that means your friend Shadow is what powers our City."

"Would you mind if I analyzed it when we got back?" Tails asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't like to think about what happened fifteen years ago…Hell, the dreams were bad enough. "Just to be sure?"

"I'm sure the Princess wouldn't mind," Dasuku began, but he was cut off when his ears caught the sound of roaring down the end of the sewer where they came from and hissed. "Shit. This way! Quickly!" He took hold of Silver's hand and darted off down the tunnel, disappearing around the corner at a fork.

Tails and Knuckles followed, slipping into the other side of the fork in the road just as headlights shone ahead of them. Dasuku motioned for them to go underwater as himself and Silver took deep breaths and plunged themselves, the offworlders following their lead. The sound of an engine purring past made Tails' ears flicker, the murky water allowing him a shadow of what was going on above him.

"Damn…thought I 'eard voices," Scourge muttered under his breath, glancing about before looking over his shoulder. "Fio, do a favor for me and scan the area, k?"

"Now scanning…" Fiona's eyes gleamed a bright red before the AI frowned, pursing her lips together. "I'm sorry, Scourge. My sensors are being blocked by all this sewerage."

"Shit!" The green hedgehog smacked the handlebars of his hoverbike before turning it around. "I don't wanna hafta go back to C'mander Ryder empty handed." He ran a hand through his quills, sighing heavily as he revved his engine. "Still, can't help it I guess." And with that, he took off, causing the murky water to form a wave behind his hoverbike as the light disappeared back the way they came.

The four emerged from the water with a gasp for air, Silver choking on some that had gone down his throat before Dasuku smacked him on the back between the shoulders to help him get rid of it. The younger white hedgehog made a face as he licked his lips. "Gross."

"They won't be coming back down this way again," Dasuku said, rubbing Silver's shoulders as he looked at Tails and Knuckles. "We'd best make our getaway while we can."

"Agreed." Both offworlders nodded and Dasuku began leading the way down the sewers again, silently wondering just why they were important enough for Ryder to send out his Suppression Squad after them…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They didn't reach Knothole until well after dark, but even then they received a warm welcome from their respective parties. Silver was reprimanded for going against the mission plan and was denied dessert for the rest of the week, which received a weak whine from the young hedgehog before he yawned.

Blaze smiled at her friend, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "I'll get him off to bed. Good night, everyone. And thank you for looking after him, Dasuku." The older hedgehog shrugged like it was no big deal and she waved goodbye over her shoulder, dragging Silver off to their shared quarters.

Sally turned to look at Tails and Knuckles, a small, thin smile curled on her lips. She suspected them of still being on her brother's side, but a nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her they were alright if their crew was anything to go by. "It seems we have matters to discuss involving the Ark of the Cosmos which powers our City."

"Indeed. If you would allow me to analyze it – from where it rests of course – I would be able to decipher whether the gem really is our old friend Shadow or not," Tails said, hands in the pockets of his jacket. He and Knuckles had both showered and redressed prior to this meeting with the princess, ridding themselves of the sewer sludge and smell.

"Of course. Follow me if you will. And we haven't been formally introduced yet." She bowed, then straightened herself and held out her hand. "My name is Sally Alicia Acorn, leader of the Freedom Fighters and heir to the throne of Acorn."

"My name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails. I'm captain and leader of the crew of the Blue Typhoon." He took her hand and kissed it gently before letting go and gesturing to the echidna beside him. "This is my vice-captain and archaeologist, Knuckles Echidna." Tails noticed her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline at his species. "Dasuku informed us of the mass genocide Elias made on the echidnas of this planet. I'm sorry for the loss."

"No matter. It's something to discuss later." And it looked as though Knuckles wasn't going to let her go to bed without discussing it with him. Sally sighed wearily and gestured for them to follow her through the darkened City, leading them to a laboratory where she pressed her palm against a scanner near the doorway, being allowed access.

The labs were dark at this hour, despite the occasional electrical glows from what sparked them. Knuckles looked around, having become used to being around people who knew this sort of stuff and learning a bit about it, but he left the talking to Tails. "It's in here?" he asked, more to the Master Emerald around his neck than anyone else. The small gem glowed faintly, almost humming in response and he let it lead him onward, earning a look from the Princess and a smile from Tails.

"Back before we were sent adrift in space, Knuckles guarded these gemstones for most of his life," Tails explained to her, hands resting in the pockets of his jacket as he followed the echidna. "The stone around his neck is the Master Emerald, which his family guarded for generations. The other gems are byproducts of Chaos that were used to create a friend of ours by an alien."

"This all sounds very…fantastical," Sally replied, not knowing the right wording for it, but it was indeed like something out of those science-fiction novels Rotor used to read as a kid. Tails merely shrugged and she stepped forward when Knuckles came to a barrier, pressing her hand against the panel to deactivate the electric pulse that formed the doorway.

The emerald sat on a platform in the middle of a room in the depths of the labs, wires and plugs attached to it and it was – indeed – black and red like Dasuku had described. Knuckles looked over his shoulder, gaining a nod from Tails that told him to continue on and a frown from Sally. Nonetheless, the echidna stepped forward, reaching out and touching his fingertips against the gemstone.

He swore he could _feel_ the entity inside it wake, but not completely. Knuckles closed his eyes, hearing one word whisper through his mind.

…**Sonic**…

_Shadow, it's Knuckles,_ he tried sending back, using the Master Emerald to send a picture of himself as he had looked twenty-five years ago to the gemstone. _If that's you in there, please respond._

**Knu**…**ckles**…

The gemstone glowed beneath Knuckles' fingertips and the echidna sighed in relief, concentrating again. _Sonic's not here right now, Shadow, but_…_tell me what happened. Why you're like this_. There was a flash of white light and the echidna found himself looking through Shadow's eyes, living his last moments.

"_Sonic, this is all wrong." Shadow stood a mere stride away from him. "Nothing is perfect, you and I both know that. Don't you remember that you swore on Tikal's grave that you would be a better hero?"_

"_I didn't want to be a hero anymore." Sonic's voice was a low whisper, fingertips lingering against the Emerald he touched as he closed his eyes. "I was never meant to be a hero. Don't you see, Shadow? I was never meant to be awakened until Lord Doom returned to reclaim me. Heroes are a fool's dream, my beloved. A fool's dream. They don't exist."_

_He sat up properly in his seat and stood, opening his eyes. Shadow saw within those depths a sorrow and loneliness he couldn't reach to save his mate from. "Do you know how many times I saved someone's life? Do you know how many times I was thanked and congratulated and worshipped? Do you know how many times I saved that planet, only to wonder what it would feel like to, just once, cause the destruction I was preventing? I wanted people to fear me as much as they adored me, Shadow. I wanted them to feel the power that continuously saved them from their own pathetic demise. I wanted to know what it was that made you and Eggman and all those others choose the path of destruction._

"_And you know what?" Sonic wet his lips deliberately slowly, watching his mate's eyes follow his tongue. "I like it like this. I finally understand – I was meant to do this. I was meant to watch a woman clutch her child in the final throes of death and enjoy it. I was meant to find a thrill in seeing people in pain because of me. For you see, my love; darkness lies in even the one with the greatest heart of gold in existence. And once one is lost to the darkness of their own soul...there is no going back."_

"_Sonic," Shadow whispered, feeling panic rise up in his chest as the Emeralds began to surround him. His black-furred mate only smiled a bitter smile full of cruelty, sorrow and other mixed emotions... Shadow couldn't help but find it beautiful._

"_And if you won't join me, my beloved," he continued as though the other hadn't spoken at all, voice just as hushed as before and raising a hand. "Then I'm afraid that my pets will have a new playmate...and you'll be watching me through the eyes of a puppet."_

_The Emeralds began to glow brighter than before and the same glow covered around Sonic's hand, whispers of ancient Black Arms dialect flowing from his tongue, making Shadow clutch at his head with both his hands and throw his head back to howl in pain. Sonic watched his mate change, not pausing his chanting even as tears fell from the corners of his eyes. Finally, he lowered his hand and hastily wiped it over his muzzle, turning away from the body of his mate._

"_Sorry, my beloved," he murmured quietly, "but orders are orders. I'm sure you understand. Lord Doom will rise again...and I can't have you standing in his Lordship's way."_

"…I see." Knuckles closed his eyes, as though pained and stepped away from the gemstone, dropping his hand and turning to look at Tails and Sally. "It _is_ Shadow. Right at the very end he tried to convince Sonic that what he was doing was wrong, but nonetheless Sonic turned him into this…WHAT THE HELL?!"

The Master Emerald was glowing from its resting place on his chest, hovering away from his body and reaching out to the black and red emerald, as though comforting it in an odd way before a brilliant burst of light filled the room and Knothole City's electricity went out.

Shadow sat atop of the altar, naked as a newborn baby and curled up in a ball as though he had pushed himself so far away in the back of his mind that nobody could bring him back. A flutter of lashes and hawk-like ruby eyes opened, staring at the echidna, fox and ground squirrel before said fox voiced what was all on their minds.

"…Fuck."

– end of chapter four –

_Notes:_ After, like, an eternity, here's an extra long chapter four to you from me, as an apology. There's more to come, so stick around…even if it does take me months to dish it out.


	5. Interlude: Spiralling into Insanity

It was a beautiful night sky, the stars shining brightly overhead and the full moon beaming down on the great city of Mobotropolis. A young sixteen-year-old hedgehog looked up to the skies from his balcony window, unable to sleep despite the big day he had just put behind him. Sonic Ryder ran a hand through his bangs, letting out a sigh when his ears caught the sound of the door behind him closing.

"Can't sleep?" Arms encircled around his waist and seventeen-year-old Elias Acorn nuzzled his neck, licking it sensually. The Prince lifted his hand, toying with Sonic's brown locks hanging over one side of his face.

"Not really." He smiled slightly and leant back, brushing their lips chastely. Sonic smiled and cricked his neck before turning his head back around to the city. "Do you ever think…about the future, Elias?"

"All the time." The squirrel leant against the balcony, his back to the city and leaning back on his elbows. "I know that someday I will be King, and for that I must prepare myself for anything that might happen." He tilted his head, eyeing his boyfriend in all his stark-naked glory. "Why do you ask?"

"I've got this…this feeling that something's going to happen," he said softly, curling in closer and wrapping his arms around Elias' waist, nestling his head on the other's shoulder. "Something disastrous."

He never noticed the look in Elias' eyes, that cold, calculating look that said the Prince was plotting something. "Elias, look!" He turned, seeing Sonic pointing up to the sky where several bright sparkles flashed overhead. "Shooting stars."

"Beautiful." Elias brought his hand up and caressed his lover's face, pulling him in by his chin. "But not as beautiful as you are." A deep flush curled on the blue hedgehog's cheeks and he chuckled, kissing him fully before pulling away. "Get some sleep. I have something I want to show you tomorrow."

And Elias left, leaving Sonic to look back at the shooting stars before following him back into the bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**The Daemon's Lament  
Interlude: Spiralling Into Insanity (Sonic and Elias' side story)  
**Written by Takato Metallium  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to Sonikku-tachi, as they belong to SEGA, Sonic TEAM, Yuji Naka, Archie Comic Publications Inc. and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea, some OCs and not much else aside from a Shadow plushie, a Tails plushie, a Knuckles plushie and a few DVDs of _Sonic Underground_ and _Sonic X_.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wow," Ryder said in awe as Elias lead him through a golden chamber by the hand, their fingers entwined. Sonic looked about, his ears folded against his head as he licked his lips.

"Through here." Elias gently tugged at his hand and smiled over his shoulder, making the younger hedgehog sigh and allow himself to be lead on, brilliant emerald green eyes sparkling at the wonder of the chamber. They came upon some steps, and a golden liquid that was bubbling in the centre of a large pool.

"What is this place, Elias?"

"This is the Room of Reckoning," the squirrel said, gesturing around it with his hand before gently pulling the hedgehog forward to stand next to him. "This is where Kings and Queens of the past and the present have come to offer themselves to the Source of All."

Sonic raised an eyebrow at the name, then turned his attention back to the bubbling pit. "Is that what that is there?"

"That's right." Elias gave him a small kiss on the lips – just a chaste brush really – as a reward for guessing right. He wrapped his arm around Sonic's shoulder, the youth not noticing the gleam in the Prince's eye. "I want you to enter it. So we can be together always. If you enter it, we'll be mates for eternity."

"Really…?" The young soldier looked down at the bubbling pool of gold, watching bubbles come to the surface and burst, only to be replaced by new ones. He gripped Elias' hand tightly, letting out a small sigh before looking up at him with a smile. "If it's for you, I'll do anything."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear that," he murmured into Sonic's ear, giving him a gentle push of encouragement forward. Sonic looked over his shoulder at him, then walked forward, slowly shredding himself of his clothes as though teasing him He disappeared under the golden liquid, and a dark, wicked smile broke out across Elias' lips.

Too easy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Kill him_…

The lieutenant rubbed at his head, shaking it as the whisper came again. He had been hearing things since Elias had asked him to enter the Source of All, dark whispers in the middle of the night that left him with little sleep.

He didn't know who the voices were talking about, but each time he had an audience with the King about some matter or other, they became a louder, almost hysterical chant. He felt arms encircle his waist and leant back into Elias' embrace.

"Eli, I'm trying to work here," Sonic mumbled, his lips being taken as Elias ran his fingers through his quills. He shifted in the chair so he was sitting on his side, bringing his hand up to lightly touch the Prince's face only to whine when his lover pulled away.

The voices purred, wanting more of Elias's touch.

"I know," Elias murmured, chastely kissing him again before pulling away and sitting on his desk. Sonic had his own office, so they were permitted privacy. He took the lieutenant's hand, linking their fingers. "But I need to talk to you."

"What is it?" _The Master needs_…

"If I asked you to help me kill my father, would you do it?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

How could he say no?

Sonic stood to the side from where he had finished killing those guarding King Acorn, gun resting in his hand. Blood stained his clothes, stained the snow-white floor of the lab. White like innocence. He turned cold eyes to his King, who flinched but tried to maintain a strong sense of self.

"Ryder, what are you…?"

"I'm afraid Lieutenant Ryder's under my command, _Father_." Elias smiled as he stepped into the room, tail swishing behind him and a wicked smile upon his lips as he stopped just behind his lover, a hand on his hip. "And _this_, is a coup d'etat."

"A coup…Elias, you would kill your King, your father?" Maximillian asked, shaking his head in disbelief. He held his hand out to his son, a look of desperation in his eyes. "You would put your country at war for such a silly thing as power? Perhaps I took you to the Source far too young…"

"Oh no, dear Father. I'm not going to kill you." The younger squirrel nodded to his lieutenant and Sonic walked over to the computers, inputting some specific commands. "I'm going to send you to the Zone of Silence. A much more ideal fate, suffering for eternity is."

The warp posts behind the king opened up, and Max looked behind him, into the portal that his son was going to push him into. He closed his eyes, turning his head back around and looking at Elias, the child he had reared from birth to replace him as King. "I will go, willingly. But please, Elias…"

_Kill him_…!

"Do not let your greed and lust overtake your pure-hearted kindness."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The people of Mobotropolis had been told that the King had passed away, in an attempt to keep the whole thing under control. Only Sonic and Elias knew the truth – that they were the ones who had sent the King to eternal damnation in another dimension. They kept it to themselves, but that wasn't the end of Elias' plans.

Oh no. Elias' plans were far from finished.

The Queen had had a heart attack and died one night several months past the King's death…at least that was what the kingdom was told. In truth, Elias had Sonic go down to the kitchens and slip something into the Queen's portion of the evening meal, a fast-killing poison that would disappear without a trace as soon as its job was done, leaving the coroners the only choice but to announce it a heart attack.

Sonic nibbled on his lower lip, unable to focus on the computer work in front of him and leant back in his chair, sighing deeply. As far as he was concerned, Elias had him help commit two murders on his family, and there was still a third to come.

There was a knock on the door and – speak of the devil – Princess Sally stepped into his office. He'd rarely interacted with the Prince's twin sister, therefore it was rare for her to be visiting. He slipped his feet from the desk, raising an eyebrow in question. "What has her Ladyship so concerned to come to little old me, hm?" he asked, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair.

Sally pursed her lips together and placed a hand on his desk, leaning against it rather than sitting in the chair on the other side, looking at him with a concerned gaze. "Lieutenant Ryder…can I talk to you about something? It concerns my brother."

"Anything, m'lady." He waved a hand, telling her to go on.

She bowed her head, nibbling on her lip as he had done just a moment ago before her blue eyes – so much like Elias' and yet so different – looked back up at him from beneath auburn locks of hair. "I…I think my brother murdered our parents."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was six months after the princess had confided in him her fears, and she kept coming to him with new evidence of her brother's betrayal to the throne. Sally had trusted him, implored him to talk to her brother to see if she was right.

And this was how he repaid her.

He held his shotgun to her head as he had done King Max, the muzzle of the gun pressed into the curve from her neck to the hairline of her short hair. He may have had her captive, but he could see she was visibly shaking with rage as her brother described the delicious details of their – or rather _his_ – plan.

"How could you?!" Sally screamed at him, the gun at her neck and the rough grip on her upper arm holding her back from attacking her twin. "How could you, Elias?! Your own mother and father…!"

"Don't forget my dear sister," the new King chirped, steepling his fingers from where he sat on the throne. Sally's eyes grew wide with horror. "After all, I can't have you mounting a rebellion against me now, can I?" Elias made a shooing motion with his hand, a vicious grin on his lips. "Get rid of her, Sonic dear. And then the final stage of my plan can begin."

He bowed and took hold of her by the hair, dragging her kicking and screaming to the entrance of the castle, gaining many looks from the servants along the way. Once outside, Sonic shoved her down the steps, pressing the gun to her temple. "Go. And never come back. Be grateful that I've offered you this much mercy."

She looked at him with betrayal in her eyes and turned, running off until she was but a spec of dust in Mobotropolis' great city. He turned and went back inside, wandering the lonely halls and back to the throne room where he walked up and knelt at Elias' feet.

"Good boy," the squirrel purred, reaching down and running his fingers through Sonic's brown bangs, brushing them away from where they hung over his left eye. Elias laughed, the sound hollow and nothing like what the hedgehog remembered.

He shut his eyes tight and prayed this was all a dream.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two years on, Sonic wasn't convinced that it was a dream anymore. It was very, _very_ real.

Sally had surmounted the rebellion Elias had feared, forming a group known only as the Freedom Fighters – a group of like-minded individuals who had chose to wage war on the King and his country. Nobody knew the whereabouts of their headquarters except for those who were Freedom Fighters themselves…including his own little brother.

The Commander – for he had been given the title after the Princess' exile and the Prince's coronation to King – walked down the stairwell to the dungeon, stopping when he reached the bottom and touched the wall lightly.

He approached the cell where the captive was held, pursing his lips together as he took the keys from his belt loop and opened the door, wincing when it squeaked open. Silver looked up from where he was chained to the grimy wall, his pure white fur stained with the grime of the cell and other fluids like blood and something Sonic didn't want to identify.

Silver didn't look at him, instead Sonic tilted his little brother's head up by the chin, watching those dim golden eyes widen in recognition of who he was. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" was Silver's response to his question, licking his lips in anticipation as a snarl curled across his mouth. Golden eyes glared out at him from beyond Silver's limp locks of hair and he drew his fist back, punching his brother square in the face.

"You know what I'm talking about, Silver. The Freedom Fighter's headquarters…where are they?" Silver's response this time was to spit blood in his face, which the Commander wiped away with growl before he looked behind himself and sighed. "Silver, please." His voice was soft, like the type of tone a parent would use with their child. "Please, I need this information. Elias is getting impatient…I'm afraid to think of what would happen. Please…for me? For your brother?"

"I have no brother," the white hedgehog said bitterly, his eyes halfway narrowed at the other. Silver tilted his head to the side, the cheek that Sonic had hit visible to his captor. "The one I did have was KIA. My last name is Mephiles, not Ryder. I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else, _Commander_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Damn." A low whistle was all the green hedgehog made as he lit a cigarette, pressing it to his lips and taking a drag. Scourge looked at the Commander with a raised eyebrow, emerald eyes looking over the rim of his sunglasses. "He really said that?"

Sonic nodded, a glass of some strong drink or other in his hand. The rec room was deserted except for the two of them and the bartender, and he took a swig of his drink, setting it down on the table and running his fingers around the rim. "Yeah. It…I don't know what they're teaching Silver, but…I'm glad he's away from here, you know?" He sighed and rubbed his temples. "The last thing he needs is Elias' influence drilled into him."

"Y'still care fer th' kid, C'mander," Scourge noted, leaning back in his seat with his feet propped upon the table despite the glares from the bartender. He hooked one of his arms over the back of the seat, his leather jacket riding up and exposing his stomach. "Not much ya c'n do 'bout that."

"But I need to learn how to handle him like an enemy," the blue hedgehog murmured into his glass, taking another swig and slumping in his seat after placing it back on the table, brown bangs hanging over his right eye. "If Elias ever found out I let him go free…" He shivered to think of what his lover might do.

"An' ya wanna practice on me, which brings us t' why we're here." Scourge closed his eyes and took a long drag of his cigarette, his gaze half-lidded when he opened them again. "Damn, bro, I'm not a masochist like some people think…"

"I know you aren't, but _please_, Manic…"

He tilted his sunglasses up his nose, sighing at the use of his real name. "Manic's been dead for a long time, bro."

"I know." Sonic gave him a small smile and reached across the table, taking hold of one of his hands. "But I could really use his help right now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Commander Ryder."

Sonic felt a cold shiver curl up his spine at the use of his status instead of his name, head bowed and kneeling before the throne of Acorn which Elias sat upon, looking down at him with cold blue eyes, voice as icy as the artic wind. "Yes, milord?"

"It has come to my attention that you let a prisoner go free. A certain prisoner who held valuable information on where Freedom HQ is." Elias rose from his throne and stood, tail swishing irritably behind him. He stepped down from the steps, coming to stop just in front of his lover. "One Silver Mephiles. Is this information incorrect, Commander?"

"Nay, milord." Sonic shook his head, biting on his lower lip and closing his eyes. "This is true, but I believed he had insufficient information to give us what we wanted. He was a boy on his first mission…surely he wouldn't know the way to Freedom HQ from Mobotropolis just yet."

"Nonetheless, it was a Freedom Fighter that you let escape, and your own brother no less." Elias had met Silver once or twice before this had all happened, Sonic having preferred to keep the knowledge about their relationship inside the castle. He reached down and took hold of Ryder's brown locks of hair, pulling him up roughly. "I believe such actions warrants punishment, don't you?"

"Yes." He opened his eyes, searching for any sign of the Prince he had once loved. The only thing that stared back at him was cold pits of blue darkness. He saw Elias pull a dagger from his belt, the King licking his lips and grinning in anticipation as he pulled the weapon up and close to Sonic's face.

"I believe your eye will be sufficient enough for this time…but next time I may not be so merciful…are we understood, Commander Ryder?"

As Elias dug his dagger into Sonic's left eye, the only answer he received was screams of pain.

– end of interlude –


	6. Chapter V

Elias sighed, rolling off from where he was above the hedgehog below him and sat on the bed, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. His Commander made no movement, but the King could tell he was still breathing by the soft rise and fall of his chest. He stood from the bed, picking up his clothes and roughly pulling his pants and shirt on.

"Never disobey me again, Commander Ryder. Never betray me. Never leave me." Sonic flinched at the harsh words, curling up on his side with his back to his King, fingers gripping the sheets stained with what had just transpired between them. "_Never_ , or I will punish you severely."

"I understand," he whispered, and curled tighter into himself as he heard the door slam, signalling Elias' leave. He remembered a time when they had shared a bed, the squirrel spooning around him as they talked quietly through the night. He remembered a time when Elias had genuinely cared about him, didn't treat him like a downtown whore.

Sonic turned onto his other side and looked up, brown bangs hanging limply over his robotic and organic eyes as he stared at the door. One of the Arks of the Cosmos lay on the bed where Elias had left it, as though paying Ryder for his services and it sent a stab of pain at his heart.

He took hold of the crimson gem, feeling it hum and sooth him with a musical like whisper into his ear. For some reason, he had been the only one able to understand the Arks of the Cosmos, the only one who somehow knew how to bring out their powers, had had dreams about an alien race and people he had never met before and a black and red hedgehog who had come back for him.

But lately, those dreams had vanished, leaving behind only a name and burning crimson eyes.

"Shadow…"

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**The Daemon's Lament  
****Chapter V  
**Written by Takato Metallium

_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to Sonikku-tachi, as they belong to SEGA, Sonic TEAM, Yuji Naka, Archie Comic Publications Inc. and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea, some OCs and not much else aside from a Shadow plushie and a few DVDs of Sonic Underground and Sonic X.  
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"Blaze?"

The purple-furred cat opened her eyes, and turned on her stomach, looking up at the bunk above her where Silver lay. "What is it?" she asked with a slight yawn, resting her arms behind her head. It was obvious that Silver had something on his mind and wasn't going to let her go to sleep until he said something.

"…Sorry to keep you awake."

"It's fine." Blaze climbed out of her bunk and up the ladder to Silver's bed, raising an eyebrow when she saw the younger hedgehog curled up into a ball against his pillow. She sat on her knees, looking at him with curious green eyes. "What's the problem?"

"Promise not to tell anyone?" he asked childishly, and Blaze sighed and nodded – it must have been very important to Silver to make her promise such a thing. He took a deep breath and sighed, his brilliant blue-green eyes saddening as he buried his face in his knees. What he said next would rock her world.

"I think I'm in love with Dasuku."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shadow sat at the table, drinking in everything that Tails and Knuckles had just told him about over the light of a single candle, its flames dancing across his face. He closed his eyes, hands curled around the glass between them. "…I see."

"I'm sorry we couldn't stop him," Knuckles said softly, leaning his head on his hands, his elbows propped up on the table.

"No. Everything that happened was my fault." Ruby eyes opened and Shadow looked at them both, picking up his glass and taking a sip from it as he leant back in his chair. "If I hadn't have lied to him, if I hadn't obeyed Doom's plan…we'd still have a planet…he'd be here…"

Tails bit his lip, chewing on it. "It's not your fault, Shadow. You wanted Sonic, I can understand that. You were willing to do anything to have him, I can understand that too." The fox shook his head, sighing deeply. "We've come to accept that nothing could have been prevented against what happened. Even if Black Doom hadn't used Sonic, our world still would have been destroyed."

There was a knock on the door and Sally entered, looking haggard and tired but managing to keep it from showing. "It's no good. The power's completely dead. Not even the backup generators are working."

Shadow winced a little when she looked at him, as though disbelieving that their power source that they had used for so long turned out to be something almost like them. Knuckles, however, unclasped the Master Emerald from around his neck, holding it out to her. "Would this help?"

"Knuckles, are you…?"

"I'm positive." The echidna shook his head. "I no longer have an Island to protect from falling into the sea, and this cursed thing has cost me the lives of my wife and children. Please." He stood and walked over to the princess, taking hold of her hand opening it, placing the Master Emerald in her palm. "I want you to have it. If it'll help."

Sally eyed the brilliant green gemstone now resting in her hand, then tilted her head up to look at him. "Thank you for this. I am in your debt." The auburn-haired woman bowed and turned to leave, clutching the Master Emerald to her chest as she went.

Tails raised an eyebrow and smiled up at Knuckles. "I guess you're finally growing up."

"HEY!"

Shadow ignored the childish bickering between the two, pursing his lips together before standing, leaving the glass of water on the table. "I'm going to explore. Get my feet back."

Tails looked at him, concern dancing across the fox's face. "Are you sure, Shadow? Do you want one of us to…?"

The black hedgehog shook his head, looking at them with a bitter twist of his lips. "I wish to do this alone. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I adapt quickly." With a small wave, Shadow exited the conference room, stretching as he stepped out into the village. The smell of greenery greeted his nose as he sniffed, the ground underneath his feet wet from the little downpour of rain that Knothole had apparently had in the last however long he'd been down there talking to Knuckles and Tails.

Something made Shadow's ears twitch, a whisper of his name on the wind and he turned, expecting to see Sonic there, but with a crushing realization that his mate wasn't alive anymore. Shadow bit his lower lip and moved through the village, then the forest, letting his feet drag him where they did – he found it better to let his feet lead the wandering when his mind was otherwise occupied like it was now. Eventually, he came upon an oasis in the vast stretch of desert, and decided to stop there.

Ruby eyes looked up at the stars, noting in the far back of his mind that the constellations and star patterns were different from that of his own planet. Shadow blinked, watching a star fall across the sky in a beautiful arch, idly wondering if anyone else was watching it.

Turning his head as he felt a spark of familiar energy nearby, Shadow pursed his lips together, frowning in contemplation as to whether or not go to their source. Shrugging – after all, what was life without a few risks? – Shadow activated Chaos Control, warping across the desert and half of the large city of Mobotropolis to come to stand on a balcony.

"What in the _Hell_ are you doing on my balcony, you pervert??" The familiarity of the voice was too much for Shadow not to shudder as he looked up, looking down the barrel of a gun and to the person behind it. Impossible! Tails and Knuckles had told him Sonic was dead!

And yet…while the blue hedgehog in front of him bore similarities to his mate, other features – such as the brown bangs, the robotic eye, and the scar over his right eye – convinced him otherwise. Shadow stood from where he had landed kneeling, bowing his head in a curt greeting. "Forgive me. I thought I sensed someone I've been longing for over two decades…I did not mean to land on your balcony, sir."

The strange hedgehog bit his lower lip, then lowered his gun. "You're lucky I'm in this kind of mood…otherwise you'd be reported to King Elias and thrown into the dungeon as a suspected Freedom Fighter," he said bitterly, walking past Shadow to lean against the railing with his elbows, not taking his eyes off of the black hedgehog once nor did the gun leave his fingers.

They stared at each other before the strange hedgehog spoke, quietly as though not meaning for Shadow to hear. "Are you for real?"

"What do you mean?" Shadow turned and raised his arms, spreading them out wide. "I am every bit as real as you are."

The blue hedgehog shook his head. "That's not what I meant…lately I've been having these weird dreams…nah, never mind. I probably won't remember this when I wake up." He ran a hand through his quills, chuckling. "A little bit too much to drink. I'm seeing the hedgehog from my dreams standing in front of me. Has to be a hallucination." He nodded as though trying to convince himself.

Ignoring the rest of the other hedgehog's drivel, Shadow climbed onto the railing of the balcony, standing on it before looking down at him. "I'll take my leave now. Might I…enquire as to a name? You…remind me of my mate."

A raised eyebrow before the hedgehog shrugged. "Sonic. Sonic Ryder, Commander of His Majesty's Royal Guard." Emerald and robotic eyes looked up at him, watching recognition dawn in Shadow's eyes. "And you are…? A name for later."

"Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog." He took a sweeping jester bow and remained in the position. "By your leave, Commander. May a peaceful night's rest come your way." And Shadow disappeared via Chaos Control, leaving the Commander to stare at the spot and wonder.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Over the coming days, Shadow didn't forget about that chance meeting with Commander Ryder. Tests had been run to make sure his body was alright, by Tails and a walrus called Rotor. The black hedgehog ran a hand through his quills and sighed as he walked out of the labs, the evening sun beaming down on Knothole City before it disappeared for the night.

The third-generation kids had been enrolled in the local schools as soon as possible, and their parents and grandparents had settled down into their new homes, but Shadow felt restless after that meeting with the Commander, choosing instead to wander the city at all hours of the day and night.

Humming in thought for a moment, Shadow pursed his lips together before activating Chaos Control, intended on paying the Commander another visit.

Ryder was sitting in his room, a thick, heavy book in his hands as he relaxed back in his chair. A flash out the corner of his eye made him look up and, startled, made the chair fall back underneath his weight. He tilted his head up and glared, a little half-heartedly, at the intruder. "Haven't you heard of knocking?" he snapped irritably, pushing the textbook off of his stomach and standing, not bothering to correct the chair.

"Sorry," Shadow offered in apology, taking the chance to look around the room as he rubbed the back of his neck. There was a bed to one corner, a bathroom off to one side and a small kitchenette, the living area consisting of a couch and a…a TV? Shadow vaguely remembered those of his own planet, wrinkling his nose at the time waster before turning his attention back to the Commander.

Sonic huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow. "What was that thing? That thing you use to get here from wherever you live?"

"It's called Chaos Control," Shadow replied smoothly, stepping forward once as though going to advance on the other hedgehog but stopping. "Usually it requires a Chaos Emerald, but since I've been asleep for so long, the pure Chaos coursing through my body does it automatically."

"Pure Chaos?" Ryder blinked a little before shaking his head and waving a hand. "Never mind. I don't want to know. Since you're here, do you want a drink this time? Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate?" He looked at the clock. "Looks like it's about the right time for beer, too."

"Tea, thank you." Maria had always made him tea of an evening. Sonic picked up and replaced his chair and gestured for Shadow to take a seat, moving to the kitchenette and flipping on the kettle and grabbing a can of beer for himself from the fridge.

That was when Shadow spotted the gem on the dinner table, glimmering in the sunset light shining through the window. "That's…that's a Chaos Emerald!" The Commander turned swiftly, watching Shadow pick up the gemstone with a strange glint in his eye. The black hedgehog turned to look at the other, holding it up. "Where did you get this?"

"My…my lover gave it to me." He poured the hot water necessary for tea and bobbed the teabag a few times before picking it up via the saucer underneath and taking it over, beer in his other hand. "The night you appeared on my balcony."

"It's impossible. They should have been destroyed…" Shadow shook his head and sat down, still holding the red gem in his hand as Ryder placed his tea on the table. He turned it around, as though examining it for some sign of evidence.

"How do you know what it is?" the Commander asked, leaning back in his seat and taking a swig of his beer as he watched the black hedgehog curiously with calculating eyes. "The information is strictly confidential…no civilian knows the Arks of the Cosmos exist except for urban myths,"

"'Ark of the Cosmos'…is that what you call them?" The crimson gem hummed and vibrated, lifting itself from Shadow's hand, spinning around in one spot near his head. The Ultimate Lifeform took hold of his teacup, blowing on it softly before taking a sip. "They're called Chaos Emeralds, a by-product of the Pure Chaos used to create another like me."

"'Create another one'?" Ryder's eyes narrowed slightly, the mechanical left eye giving off a deadly gleam behind his brown bangs. He hooked one arm over the back of his chair, leaning back casually but still on edge. "You mean to say that you're manmade?"

"Not exactly." Shadow crossed one of his legs and set the teacup down on the saucer in his other hand. "It's a rather long story."

"I've got time."

Shadow's story drifted long into the night, and even though part of his mind was critical about it, Commander Sonic Ryder believed every word…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dasuku looked up from his book when he heard a knock on his door, setting it facedown on the coffee table before getting up and opening it. He blinked crimson eyes when he saw Silver on his doorstep, the younger white hedgehog looking down at the porch. "Silver, what are you doing up at this time of night? It's way past curfew…" Looking around, he stepped back to let his protégé inside his home. "Quickly now, before someone spots you."

"Nobody spotted me," Silver said with a slight mumble, but stepped inside nonetheless and Dasuku closed the door behind him, sighing a little as he began to make up stories to tell the Princess later if Silver was caught out of his dorm this late at night. Silver looked at him before flushing slightly and glancing away. "I…I need to talk to you about something, Dasuku."

"Go ahead. I'm listening." The taller hedgehog smiled kindly as he patted the younger on the head and moved further into his home. Silver frowned at the little kid treatment and followed, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket behind his back.

Taking a deep breath, Silver decided not to beat around the bush. "I'm in love with you."

Dasuku blinked once or twice before scratching the back of his head, eyes looking at the ceiling past his black bangs. "Sil…you're too young to know what love feels like," he began, speaking as gently as he could. "Not to say that I'm not flattered, but I'm sure it's just a crush you'll grow out of…"

Psychokinesis held him still and he winced a little at the small amount of pressure that Silver let slip through. "Blaze said you'd say that," was the bitter reply as Silver pouted adorably, crossing his arms but leaving one gloved hand up to control his kinetic abilities. "But I'm serious. Dasuku, I've been in love with you for a long time. I know it's not lust or a crush or anything like that, because it feels _real_…like you're the one my red string is tied to."

Ah, the red strings. Every pre-teen and teenager's fantasy was to find the one their red string of fate was attached to. Dasuku sighed and attempted to break Silver's psychic hold on him. "Silver, let me go, please. I'm not going to run away, I promise." The light blue-green glow vanished and Dasuku rolled his shoulders, hearing them crick. He sighed and sat down, gesturing for Silver to come closer, which the younger hedgehog did.

"Do you really want this? I can't guarantee anything will be the same, nor will I bend the rules to have sex with you – you're three years under the legal limit anyway." Judging by Silver's flushed cheeks at the 's' word, the kid hadn't even thought about something like that. He chuckled a little and wrapped his arms around Silver's waist, pulling him closer to press a chaste kiss to the tip of his nose. "You're so naïve."

That made the younger hedgehog smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A kiss of the lips for the information had been all it took.

There was a rustling of clothes as Shadow attempted to get Ryder out of his uniform, the blue hedgehog smirking before pushing his hands away to show him how, sitting the darker hedgehog on his bed. He unbuttoned his collar, hips swaying to an imaginary beat in his head as he moved forward, dancing just out of Shadow's reach.

Shadow licked his lips, the Commander's moves hypnotizing his eyes to watch from his position on the bed. "Not that I don't want this, but…I thought you said you had a lover…?"

That made Ryder stop his movements, pausing before he closed his eyes and dipped his head. "I…I do, but…we're not exactly on good terms right now."

A hand was placed on his shoulder and he was turned, meeting Shadow's ruby red eyes. "That's good enough for me," he purred, pressing another kiss to the Commander's lips.

Little did they know, hidden around Ryder's room were several cameras watching their every movement…

– end of chapter five –


	7. Character Profiles

Mini-profiles on all the Daemon's Lament active characters while you wait for the next chapter =3

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**Full Name:** Miles Rose-Prower  
**Nicknames:** Tails, Captain Prower  
**Age:** 49  
**Species:** fox  
**Status:** current leader and captain of the Blue Typhoon crew  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Amy Rose-Prower (wife, deceased), Lina Rose-Prower (daughter), Xander and Xavier (twin sons)

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**Full Name:** Knuckles Echidna  
**Nicknames:** Knux, Knuckie  
**Age:** 53  
**Species:** echidna  
**Status:** archaeologist and vice-captain of the Blue Typhoon crew  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Rouge (wife, deceased), Bandit (son, deceased), Diamond (daughter, deceased), Martina (son-in-law), Julian Kintobor (formerly Eggman, surrogate son)

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**Full Name:** Espio Chameleon  
**Nicknames:** Esp  
**Age:** 52  
**Species:** chameleon  
**Status:** martial arts expert of the Blue Typhoon crew  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Vector (husband), Charmy (adopted son), Martina (son), Bandit (son-in-law, deceased), Clare (granddaughter), June (granddaughter)

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**Full Name:** Vector Crocodile  
**Nicknames:** Vec  
**Age:** 54  
**Species:** crocodile  
**Status:** music teacher of the Blue Typhoon crew  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Espio (husband), Charmy (adopted son), Martina (son), Bandit (son-in-law, deceased), Clare (granddaughter), June (granddaughter)

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**Full Name:** H.R.H Prince Charmy Honeybee of the Goldenhive Colony  
**Nicknames:** Charmy  
**Age:** 41  
**Species:** honey bee  
**Status:** crewmember of the Blue Typhoon  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Cream (wife), Vanilla (mother-in-law, deceased), Waffle (son), Vanilla (daughter), Espio and Vector (adoptive parents)

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**Full Name:** Cream Honeybee  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 41  
**Species:** rabbit  
**Status:** crewmember of the Blue Typhoon  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Charmy (husband), Vanilla (mother, deceased), Waffle (son), Vanilla (daughter), Espio and Vector (adoptive in-laws)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Martina Chameleon  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 35  
**Species:** artificially created chameleon/crocodile hybrid  
**Status:** astronomy teacher of the Blue Typhoon crew  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Vector (father), Espio (mother), Charmy (adopted brother), Bandit (mate, deceased), Clare (daughter), June (daughter)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Lina Rose-Prower  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 36  
**Species:** fox  
**Status:** one of the technology experts of the Blue Typhoon crew  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Miles Rose-Prower (father), Amy Rose-Prower (mother, deceased), Xander and Xavier (twin brothers), Waffle (mate)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Waffle Honeybee  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 33  
**Species:** honeybee/rabbit hybrid  
**Status:** crewmember of the Blue Typhoon  
**Birthplace:** Earth – home planet, which was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Charmy (father), Cream (mother), Vanilla (sister), Lina (mate)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Julian Kintobor  
**Nicknames:** Eggman  
**Age:** 19  
**Species:** human  
**Status:** one of the technology experts of the Blue Typhoon, formerly Doctor Eggman  
**Birthplace:** Blue Typhoon, space  
**Family:** Knuckles (surrogate father)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Xander Rose-Prower  
**Nicknames:** Xan  
**Age:** 15  
**Species:** fox/hedgehog hybrid  
**Status:** one of the technology experts of the Blue Typhoon  
**Birthplace:** Blue Typhoon, space  
**Family:** Miles Rose-Prower (father), Amy Rose-Prower (mother, deceased), Lina (sister), Xavier (twin brother)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Xavier Rose-Prower  
**Nicknames:** Xav  
**Age:** 15  
**Species:** fox/hedgehog hybrid  
**Status:** mischief-maker of the Blue Typhoon  
**Birthplace:** Blue Typhoon, space  
**Family:** Miles Rose-Prower (father), Amy Rose-Prower (mother, deceased), Lina (sister), Xavier (twin brother)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Vanilla Honeybee  
**Nicknames:** Illalilla  
**Age:** 14  
**Species:** honeybee/rabbit hybrid  
**Status:** crewmember of the Blue Typhoon  
**Birthplace:** Blue Typhoon, space  
**Family:** Charmy (father), Cream (mother), Vanilla (grandmother and namesake, deceased), Waffle (brother)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Shadow the Hedgehog  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 85 (immortal)  
**Species:** artificially created hedgehog with Black Arms DNA  
**Status:** formerly a Chaos Emerald, now active in original form  
**Birthplace:** Space Colony ARK, Earth – home planet was destroyed in an ancient alien ritual  
**Family:** Black Doom (genetic father), Gerald (creator), Maria Robotnik (surrogate sister), Eggman/Julian (hypothetical cousin)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Cmdr. Sonic Ryder  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 24  
**Species:** hedgehog  
**Status:** commander of the Royal Guard, personal guard of H.R.H. King Elias Acorn  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** Jules (father, deceased), Bernadette (mother, deceased), Charles (uncle, deceased), Manic (younger brother, current leader of the Suppression Squad), Silver (little brother, current active Freedom Fighter)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** H.R.H. King Elias Maximillian Acorn of the Kingdom of Acorn  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 26  
**Species:** squirrel  
**Status:** current ruler of Mobius  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** Maximillian Acorn (father, exiled), Alicia Acorn (mother, poisoned and disposed of), Sally (twin sister, current leader of the Freedom Fighters)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** H.R.H. Princess Sally Alicia Acorn of the Kingdom of Acorn  
**Nicknames:** Sally, Sal  
**Age:** 26  
**Species:** ground squirrel  
**Status:** leader of the Freedom Fighters  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** Maximillian Acorn (father, exiled), Alicia Acorn (mother, poisoned), Elias (twisted twin brother, current ruler of Mobius)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Manic Ryder  
**Nicknames:** Scourge  
**Age:** 23  
**Species:** hedgehog  
**Status:** commander of the Suppression Squad under King Elias' command  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** Jules (father, deceased), Bernadette (mother, deceased), Charles (uncle, deceased), Sonic (older brother, currently commander of the Royal Guard), Silver (little brother, currently active Freedom Fighter)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Silver Mephiles (formerly Ryder)  
**Nicknames:** Sil  
**Age:** 14  
**Species:** hedgehog  
**Status:** active Freedom Fighter  
**Birthplace:** Knothole, Kingdom of Acorn, Mobius  
**Family:** Jules (father, deceased), Bernadette (mother, deceased), Charles (uncle, deceased), Sonic (elder brother, currently commander of the Royal Guard), Manic (older brother, current leader of the Suppression Squad)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Blaze Soleanna  
**Nicknames:** none  
**Age:** 16  
**Species:** cat  
**Status:** active Freedom Fighter  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** unknown, presumed deceased

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Dasuku Hedgehog  
**Nicknames:** Dusk  
**Age:** 25  
**Species:** hedgehog  
**Status:** active Freedom Fighter  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** unknown, presumed deceased

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Bunnie Rabbot-D'Coolette  
**Nicknames:** Buns  
**Age:** 27  
**Species:** rabbit  
**Status:** active Freedom Fighter  
**Birthplace:** South Kingdom, Mobius  
**Family:** unknown, presumed deceased, Antoine D'Coolette (husband)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Antoine Rabbot-D'Coolette  
**Nicknames:** Ant  
**Age:** 30  
**Species:** coyote  
**Status:** active Freedom Fighter  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** unknown, presumed deceased, Bunnie Rabbot (wife)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Rotor Walrus  
**Nicknames:** Boomer  
**Age:** 35  
**Species:** walrus  
**Status:** active behind-the-scenes Freedom Fighter  
**Birthplace:** Mobotropolis, Mobius  
**Family:** mother (presumed deceased), Skeeter (little brother, in his care)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Full Name:** Nicole Morgan  
**Nicknames:** Nic  
**Age:** ageless  
**Species:** synthetic android  
**Status:** active Freedom Fighter, hacker  
**Birthplace:** unknown  
**Family:** Nate Morgan (creator)


End file.
